Connected to recommendations on screen use? A parent survey study

Introduction: screen use during childhood has been associated with negative effects in several areas such as neurodevelopment and mental health. The Spanish Association of Pediatrics developed a series of recommendations to promote appropriate use of electronic devices. The primary objective was to assess adherence to these recommendations in a sample of children aged 0 to 12 years. Secondary objectives included analyzing the influence of sociodemographic factors on adherence and evaluating parents’ perceptions.

Methods: an observational and descriptive study was conducted in the Pediatrics Department of Fuenlabrada University Hospital, using a questionnaire administered to parents of children aged 0 to 12 years.

Results: a total of 448 responses were obtained. The mean age was 6.5 years (SD 3.83), and 45.98% were girls. Only one in four families complied with at least 80% of the recommendations. Adherence was higher among families with children aged 6 to 12 years (OR 3.64, 95% CI 1.60–8.26), those with at least one parent with higher education (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.60–8.26), those who were aware of the recommendations (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.36–3.63), and those who considered themselves a good example (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.23–2.94). Notably, 70.54% reported not having received any information from a healthcare professional.

Conclusions: adherence to the recommendations is inconsistent and generally suboptimal. Overall, the findings highlight the need to improve information provided to families, promoting conscious and appropriate screen use from early childhood.